ADL’s Foxman Calls Genocide Bill ‘Counterproductive Diversion’

WASHINGTON—Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman said in an interview with the Azeri APA news agency that the Armenian Genocide resolution, adopted this month by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is “a counterproductive diversion.”

APA’s Isabel Levine asked the Jewish leader his thought on the resolution, to which he responded: “Congressional resolution on such matters is a counterproductive diversion and will not foster reconciliation between Turks and Armenians and may put at risk the important multilateral relationship between Turkey and the United States.”

“Turkey and the U.S. have many common and vital interests that require close cooperation and mutual trust. Passage of the resolution will not change our shared strategic interests, but could impact the political will in Turkey to pursue them as effectively as possible. We have urged Turkey and Armenia to work towards reconciliation for a long time. The resolution will hinder that process, and we oppose it. However, opposing the resolution must not be confused with denying history,” added Foxman.

“Azerbaijan has a long history of tolerance and respect for the Jewish people, and since independence has been a reliable friend and partner for the U.S. and Israel. We appreciate the vital importance of a satisfactory resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue for Azerbaijan. If Turkish-Armenian normalization will advance the Nagorno-Karabakh process, we would certainly welcome that additional benefit,” said Foxman.

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The Azeris and the Turks have been good to Israel, and they are rich and powerful countries… and that’s all that matters. “Passing the Resolution will cause problems between the US and Turkey, and will make the reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia more difficult”. Were these points ever a consideration when the US recognized the Jewish Holocaust and condemned what Germany had done? Can we imagine anyone having suggested that the Jews should not push for the recognition of the Holocaust because that might make Israel’s and Germany’s reconciliation more difficult? How absurd? How dare Mr. Levine voice his opinion on Kharabagh’s fate, an Armenian enclave up until Stalin gave it to Azerbaijan, when his own people reclaimed a country that they had occupied 3000 years ago? By the way, Mr. Levine will change his tune in a drop of a hat if the Turks start complaining about how the Palestinians are being treated. What a sad and immoral world are we living in, that a country and people, themselves the victims of a Holocaust are standing in the way of the legal reparation for the victims of another Holocaust, because the culprit is their friend. Morale at its basest!
Turkey would have recognized the Armenian Genocide a long time ago, were it not to Israel’s, United States’ and Britain’s interference. They are using the Genocide as a political bargaining chip to get the most out of Turkey for themselves. If Turkey wants to be free from these users, and be a real power to be reckoned with, it will recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Clinton keeps on saying that the Resolution will be interfering in the reconciliation of the two countries. Not letting the resolution pass in Congress is what’s interfering in the just resolution of this legal issue. The reconciliation between the two countries will be most binding if the Genocide is recognized and the two countries can forge a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. Recognition of a historic fact should have nothing to do with relationships with current governments. Just like raising kids; if you do not enforce the rules you came up with, you will encourage the kids to continue doing the same wrong things over and over. You cannot bend rules, and let some Genocides pass because the country that committed it is your friend.

It is sad that Mr. Foxman still makes these types of statements after the controversy over support of the Genocide. It is absurd to use the term “tolerence” in the same sentence as Azerbaijan. Apparently, their definition does not include Karabagh(before liberation), Sumgait,Baku and Nakhichevan. There can never be true reconciliation without the truth. One day the truth will prevail over geo-political convenience. We must never accept less than the truth. I am very proud of the continued integrity of our community on this matter.

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